Koppeltragegestell für Infanterie
The Koppeltragegestell für Infanterie (loosely translated as Belt suspenders for infantry) was a load-bearing webbing of German origin. The term firstly reffers to very well known German 'Y' leather straps, (a part of their combat belt) and inveitable part of combat equipment of every single infantryman of German armed forces of World War II. Overview The concept of Koppeltragegestell can trace its roots from previous, World War I era variant used by Imperial German Army and such combat belt featuring straps was generally used far and wide throught the armies of the world in that period and by some remained so for many years later; some using leather ones like this and others canvas made ones. The Koppeltragegestell was made out of soft and comfortable but very durable genuine calfskin leather with black coating (although there was also a bright yellow canvas made variant for Afrika Korps), featuring three main and two additional straps on the two main, front ones. Those two main straps were featuring silver metallic buckles for size/height adjustment as well clips on the lower end to be linked on belt, while two other straps were also featuring buckles as well as hooks, to be linked onto belt accessories. So, in order to be worn, the straps required a standard German service/combat belt of the same leather type with silver metalic buckle, which always came decorated with German eagle symbol featuring a motto Gott mit uns (God with us), for Wehrmacht - Heer, Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine (Army, Air Force and Navy) or Meine Ehre heisst Treue (My Honour is called Loyalty) for SS members, on which they are attached using lower metallic clips of main straps. The additional two straps with hooks were intended to be linked to standard triple pouches for rifle clips which due to that, always featured rings on the back side and were in order to properly achieve link on straps, usually worn on the front side of the belt. The set also included carachteristic D-rings for belt, which were firstly and originally intended for carrying the M39 Eihandgranate (Model 1939 Egg hand grenade), however, since that grenade was rarely used in favor to much more common and well known stick grenade, the M24/43 (Model 1924 or 1943) Stielhandgranate (which was simply carried by being pulled through the belt), those rings were relatively rarely actually carried on the belt and when carried, were more often used for carrying a helmet (their famous Stahlhelm) while not in combat as an example, as well as other parts of gear and equipment. The earlier mentioned triple rifle pouches could also feature similar frontal rings intended for the same matter. The main and only role of these straps, the so-called Hilfstrageriemen ''(''Auxiliary carring straps) was to properly hold the belt when carrying equipment, that is, to correctly distribute weight and equally dispose the balance of equipment carried on the belt (rifle clip or magazine pouches, hand grenades, pistol holster, canteen and other equipment) what is also the reason why they were always used and worn by infantrymen in combat and left out only in cases when not carring heavy weight (equipment) on belt, as in cases of vehicle crews, pilots, sailors, artillerymen, radio operators and other non-infantry branches of the armed forces. The Koppeltragegestell was being produced from outbreak of World War II in 1939 until the end of the war, in 1945 and was extensively used by both infantrymen of Heer and SS as well as by Fallschirmjäger (paratroopers). However, literally the same type of belt and straps were later taken over by newly formed post-war NVA (Nationale Volksarmee), the armed forces of GDR (East Germany), the sole difference was, of course, the fact that NVA model featured GRD coat of arms on belt buckle (but without NVA motto) and their variant was completely made from gray canvas instead of black coated leather like the usual Wehrmacht one and was thus, similar in appearance to mentioned variant for Afrika Korps. Although that meant a drop in quality and durability, it also made cost lower as well as production faster and easier. Also, the Koppeltragegestell was later almost directly copied by post-war ČSLA (Czechoslovakian People's Army; the armed forces of CSSR during Cold War period), as the so called Opasek s treky (literally; Belt with suspenders), to be used for their infantry. However, unlike the original German variant which featured black coated calfskin leather, the Czechoslovakian variants were made just out of pure calfskin without any kind of coating, due to which they have light brown/yellowish appearance. Later and rarer variants however (made from 1980s onwards) were made out of greenish canvas, and were thus similar in appearance to the NVA ones. Moreover, together with the Stahlhelm (German combat helmet), the concept of Koppeltragegestell was also copied by post-war YPA (Yugoslavian People's Army; the armed forces of SFRY) for their combat belt, the so-called Opasač sa uprtačima (Belt with suspenders, in Serbian), which was a standard battledress appearance of their every single infantryman and even land based sailors (operating on shore batteries, as an example). Like the Czechoslovakian ones, the Yugoslavian variants also never featured any kind of coating but were just made out of pure calfskin, what also explains their yellowish appearance in contrast to original German made ones. Also, unlike both German and Czechoslovakian variants, the Yugoslavian straps were somewhat thicker but in the same time slightly narrower and were always made exclusively from leather (calfskin), there were no canvas variants. Also, they featured only three, main straps - the two additional ones (for rifle pouches) were left out, although the Yugoslavian double rifle clip pouches, the so called Fišeklije (in Serbian) always featured metallic ring on their back side (in order to be linked on straps if necessary) exactly like the German ones. Gallery Videos WWII History & Reenacting - Vincent's Equipment (Finest reproduction German WWII leather equipment) In popular culture *The Koppeltragegestell für Infanterie is featured in every possible video game, TV series or movie set in World War II and portraying German army of the period. References Category:Nazi German Category:World War II